Control apparatus



July 25, 1944. R. c. DAVIS CONTROL I APPARATUS M 5 l /A Eu 1 mm m s? 35 M. w 9 m Ha INVENTOR RALPH LID/1W5 LEW ATTOR N EY5 Patented July 25 1944 CONTROL APPARATUS I Ralph C. Davis, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company,

Ohio, a corporation ol'Ohio Akron,

' Application April 3, 1941, Serial No. 386,682 8 1 Claim. (01. 236-1) tion is provided and is connected to the mold This invention relates to control apparatus, and has especial relation to pressure operated control devices adapted, in turn, to operate pres- V sure operable means and regulate the conditions to which a given apparatus is subjected.

One example of use of control devices of the nature covered by the present invention is in the vulcanization of pneumatic tires in jacket molds. During vulcanization, it is usually desirable to vary the pressure and temperature within the mold, first by progressively increasing same in several steps, holding the maximumtemperature and pressure obtained ior a given interval, and then reducing the temperature and pressure within the mold in several steps. With the usual type of controller devices, it has been dimcult to effect an accurate, rapid control, in reducing the temperature of the mold in the last stages of vulcanization.

The general object of the present invention is to provide an improved control device for controlling the temperature or pressure of a given apparatus to the desired'value.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, adjustable control device which is sturdily constructed and adapted to give a maximum of service with a minimum or maintenance thereon.

The foregoing and other objects will be manifest as the specification proceeds, which specification is described with reference to the accom panying drawing, in which:

Figure I is a vertical section of a control device embodying the invention;

Figure 11 is a section taken on line II -II 01" by a pipe or other means I4, whereby the temperature of the mold Ill is'accurately recorded on the indicator I8. A pipe II connects to the indicator I3 and is connected to a suitable constant pressure source '(not shown) which, in this case, was 20 pounds per square inch of air presembodying the invention and for practice of the 7 ance with the invention, in this instance, 'a jacket mold I8. Steam or other heating fluid is introduced into the mold I0 through a pipe II having a shutofl valve I2 therein, which pipe II connects to any suitable source (not shown) of steam under pressure. A temperature or pressure control and/or indicator I8 of standard construcsure. Thus, the temperature indicator I8 is constructed and-arrangedso that its operation is controlled by the temperature of the mold III in relation to that desired in the mold, at that given time. The indicator I3 opens or closes a valve 'I3a associated therewith whereby the air pressure in pipe Ii leading from the temperature indicator I3 can be varied from zero to 20 pounds, dependent upon the position of the valve Iia. A mechanism which is satisfactory for operation of Ila is shown in Fig. 3, the Karl H. Hubbard Patent No. 2,076,641. The pipe I8, in turn, connects to a pressure controlled valve II that is in the steam line II, whereby the valve I1 is opened or closed, dependent on whether there is a low or a high pressure, respectively, in the line I 6,

so that steam is permitted to flow through, or is prevented from flowing through the line II to the vulcanizer I0.

In order to reduce the temperature oithe mold II'I rapidly, when'desired, a three-way valve I8 is also connected in the steam line II between the valve I1 and the mold. This valve I8 connects to a pipe I9 that leads to a sewer, or other exhaust means. The valve I8-is constructed'and arranged so that it either permits flow of steam through the line II to the mold IIl,.or else permits flow of steam from the mold ID to the exhaust pipe I9. The positioning or operation of the valve I8 is controlled through a controller unit generally indicated 20, which connects to the valve I8 by a pipe II. The'valve I8 is 01a diaphragm type consisting of a head 90, a cylinder 8|, with a diaphragm 92 retained between said head and cylinder to form a pressure receiving chamber 83, a connection portion 98, a valve stem 94 having a valve'head slidably mounted in a sleeve 86 and a bearing 91. Said sleeve having a projected valve spring seat 99 upon which is seated a coil spring IIlIl interposed between the valve head 85 and the spring seat 99. The valve stem terminates at its end opposite its head portion 95 in a valve IIII which isadaptedto seat on valve seats I82 and I03 respectively. This valve I8 like valve I3a is actuated by the differential in pressure on the two sides of the diaphragm 92.

When the valve IIII is seated on its seat I" live steam in pipe II passes through the valve continuingin pipe II to the mold IO. However. when the valve is seated on its seat "2 the live steam in pipe I] is shut off from the mold II I and the valve is opened to the atmosphere through pipe ll, thus with the valve so seated the length of pipe between the valve Ill and the mold l0 becomes blow-ofl' outlet through the valve and the pipe it. The controller unit 2| is connected to the pound .air supply pipe I! by a pipe 22, while thecontroller also has a variable supply of air pressure connected thereto through a pipe 23, which pipe connects to the pipe I, whereby the pressure in the pipe 23 is dependent upon the conditions existing in the mold ll in relation to those predetermined conditions set up as desired in the mold at that point in the vulcanization cycle. The controller unit 20, as will hereinafter be pointed out in detail, is designed so that the variable pressure in the line 23 opens the valve l8 and connects the mold I! to the exhaust line I! when the temperature in the mold is above that predetermined value desired at that instant. At other points in the vulcanization cycle when the mold is at substantially the temperature desired, or when it is below the desired temperature, then the controller 2|! maintains the valve l8 in such a manner that steam' readily passes therethrough to the mold II in order to raise its temperature. Hence, by provision of the controller 20 a rapid, automatic means for lowering the temperature of, the mold Ill when the temperature thereof isstepped down sharply, or at any other desired time, is provided by the controller 20.

Figures I through IV show the specific construction of the controller device 20, which includes a frame which has an apertured block 2| at the upper portion thereof, to which block II the pipes 2|, 22, and 23 connect 'to supply the compressed air to the controller in order to operate same. The device 2|) includes a cover 20b. Th block 3| has apertures 22, 33 and 34 formed therein with the variable pressure control pipe 22 connected to the aperture 22 and pipes 22 and 2| to apertures 32 and 24, respectively. A bellows is connected to the aperture 22 and receives air from the line 23. The bellows 25 is of any standard construction and exerts an ap-.

preciably larger force at its free end than the force or pressure exerted on the bellows by the fluid from the line 23. A split block, or other suitable pressure transmitting member 26 is carried by the free end of the bellows while a ball bearing 31 which contacts a lever 28 thatis pivotally mounted at one end on a bracket 30a formed on the frame 30, is mounted on the lower portion of the split block. The ball bearing 3 facilitates sliding movement of the block on the lever 38. The lever 28 is mounted to have pivotal movement in a given plane and is in operative relationship with a valve, indicated generally at 29, which is positioned on the frame 20. The valve 39 is connected to the block II, and thereby to the pipes 2| and 22 by means of tubes 4| and 42, respectively, which connect to a manifold 42 that is secured to the valve 3! byscrews 40.

The-valve includes a valve body 44 in which a movabl plunger 45, having longitudinally extending ribs 45a on its outer surface, is received. The valve body 44 has an axially extending bore 46 formed therein which has a shoulder 48a formed therein. One end of the bore 48 is enlarged at 41 and is provided with a threaded surface to engage with a supplemental valve housing 40. Conduits III and 4| in the valve body assaeao connect the bore 48 to the tubes 4| and 42, re. spectively. The valve housing 48 has an axially directed bore ll formed therein and a shoulder lie is, -formed in this bore adjacent the valve body 44. Exhaust openings l2 extend from the bore II to the periphery of the valve housing 40. The valve, 39 is completed by an outer valve plunger 52 which is secured to,'or integral with a member N which is snugly received 'within the bore II. This outer valve plunger connects to the inner valve plunger 45 by means of an auxiliary plunger It, which also has a corrugated or ribbed outer periphery, and which is on the opposite side of the shoulder Ha from the member 84. In some cases, it may be desirable to form plungers 45 and 55 as a unit, although in the construction shown th plungers are separate but in contact at all times in the valve's operation. Conically shaped seating surfaces 45b and a are formed on the spaced ends of the plungers 4! and IS, respectively, and are adapted to be seated upon the shoulders 48a and la, respectively, in order to form seals in the bores 48 or II, when desired.

sure led to conduit 49 by the tube.42 forces the plungers 45 and 55 to their outermost pomtions with respect to the valve 29 and, when in such position, the valve plunger 55 is seated on the shoulder lla, whereby the conduit is formed through the valve from the inlet conduit 49 to the outlet conduit 50, which, in turn, enables air supplied to the controller 2|Lthrough the pipe 22 to pass therefrom through the pipe 2| and maintain the valve It in its normal position where it is open to line I to permit passage of steam. However, when the valve plungers 45 and 55 are moved to their innermost positions with relation to the valve, then the surface 45b seats upon the shoulder 48a and seals the conduits 49 and I! from' each other. This enables gas or fluid under pressure in the pipe 2| to escape from the valve through the escape ports 52, thereby changing the position of the valve I! to shut off flow of steam to the mold and permitting exhaust of gas or steam from the mold l0 to the sewer pipe II.

To prevent undesired or improper movement of the valve plunger 53, yieldable variable pressure means 8| are associated with the, lever 38 in the same manner as the plunger 53 with relation to the force exerted on the lever 34 through the bellows 35. I That is, the pressures set up by the pressure member 8| and the plunger 53 are in opposed relation to th pressure exerted on the lever 38 by the bellows 25. The pressure -member 6| may include a housing 62 that is carried on the frame 30 with a spring 63 being received in and axially compressed any desired degree in the housing by a threaded set screw 64 which engages with a threaded end of the housing. A pin 85 extends from the housing 62 with the pin having a head 86 that bears upon'the inner surface of the housing. The pin it is maintained in a position extending from the housing by the spring 63. The pin 65 normally engages with a set screw 61 carried by the lever 38, whereby a yieldable pressure is set up on the lever 32. A motion limiting set screw 68 is also engaged with the lever 38 and is adapted to bear upon one end of the housing 62 and limit movement of the lever it toward the housing whereby the forced movement of the plunger I2 is also limited.

In operation, as pointed out above, it will be 1 seen that the variable pressure set up upon the Figure IIIshows that, normally, the fluid presever, when sufflcient pressure is set up in the pipe 23, as when the temperature in the mold I is too high, then the bellows will force the lever to move downwardly and will then move the plungers l andv 55 of the valve to their lower seating position and breakthe passag formed between the inlet and outlet conduits 49 and ill and form a passage between the outlet conduit 50 and the exhaust conduit 52, whereby the position of the valve I8 is changed, steam exhausted from the mold I 0, and the desired temperature set up in the mold. Then, the pressure on the bellows 35 is reduced and the combined actions of the pressure exerted on the bellows 35 by the valve 39, through the plunger 53, and the compression of the spring 83 force the lever 38- to its uppermost position, whereby the setting or the valve I8 is changed and steam can be introduced into the mold to maintain its temperature at the predetermined level.

The detailed description of the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein is not to be construed as limiting the invention thereto. The invention includes all features of patentable novelty residing in the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing.

What is claimed is:

In a device of the character described the com bination of a vulcanizing mold, a single steam supply line for delivery of steamto the mold for heating same, a pressure control valve in said steam supply line, aithree way valve in said steam. supply line between said control valve and said mold, said pressure control valve and three way valve being pneumatically operated valves, an air line of constant air pressure, an air pressure con trol valve in said air line, said air pressure control valve being connected to the steam cavity of said mold and being operated by the steam pressure that exists in said cavity, a pneumatically operated controller unit connected with said three way valve, an air line of variable pressure as a continuation of said air line of constant air pressure beyond said steam pressure operated air pressure control valve. a branch of said variable air pressure line connected to said controller unit, a branch of said constant pressure air line by-passing said steam operated valve being also connected to said unit, another branch or said variable air pressure line joined to said pressure control valve in said steam supply line, whereby the temperature or said vulcanizing mold is controlled.

RALPH C. DAVIS. 

